China Telecom to carry Xbox One starting this September

Microsoft's Xbox One is heading to China. The next generation console will soon be sold through China Telecom, one of the nation's leading telecommunications companies according to a report from Reuters.

The Xbox One will go on sale in September and will be the first gaming console sold in mainland China since the country's government issued a ban on such devices in 2000. The ban, put in place over concerns about how violence and mature content may affect Chinese youth, was recently lifted.

A China Telecom spokesperson told the publication that pricing for the console hasn't been decided yet. Further details regarding the launch will be revealed next week according to Microsoft China spokesperson Joanna Li.

The announcement came yesterday during a China Telecom media event focused on the Internet of Things. A set-top box and a smart television were shown as part of a smart home series called Yue Me. The Xbox One, with its heavy entertainment slant, should fit right into what China Telecom is trying to do.

It's a significant move for Microsoft as its Xbox One hasn't sold as well as Sony's PlayStation 4. Much of that had to do with Microsoft pricing their system $100 higher. Last month, however, Microsoft finally unbundled the Kinect and priced the barebones Xbox One at $399 to match the PS4.

Sales have doubled since the move and with more than 104 million China Telecom broadband subscribers in sight, the Xbox One may finally start catching up to the PS4.